‘Their Words Reminded Me…’ Akash Deep Credits Virat Kohli And MS Dhoni For Career-Best England Performance

India’s rising fast-bowling star Akash Deep has revealed how simple but impactful advice from cricket icons Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni helped shape his impressive performances during the recent Test series in England.

Edgbaston Hero

The 28-year-old pacer emerged as one of the standout players of the tour, finishing with 13 wickets, including a memorable 10-wicket haul at Edgbaston, and a gritty 66 as a nightwatchman at The Oval. Reflecting on his success, Akash Deep said the words of his senior teammates gave him the mental clarity and confidence to perform under pressure.

Advice From Virat Kohli

According to the Bengal cricketer, Virat Kohli encouraged him to put in relentless effort at practice. “Practice makes a man perfect. If you have doubts about something, practice it so much that the doubts vanish completely,” Kohli told him during their discussions.

Dhoni’s Advice

MS Dhoni, known for his calm approach to the game, reinforced a similar sentiment. “Cricket is a game of confidence, and that confidence comes with practice,” Dhoni advised.

Akash Deep explained that both messages resonated deeply with him, especially in the challenging conditions of England, where discipline, patience, and skill were tested in every session. “Their words reminded me that the best preparation is not just physical but also mental. I went into every game believing I had done the work,” he said.

Deep opens up on the dramatic Day 5 of the Oval Test

“Big legends with so much experience were in the dressing room. Since the ball was moving a lot and it was an old ball, scoring wasn’t easy because the ball didn’t race off the bat. We planned to try and take wickets using that movement. If that didn’t work, we would have gone for the new ball,” he mentioned.

The young seamer’s performances not only contributed significantly to India’s competitive showing in the series but also marked him as one of the promising prospects for the national team’s future pace attack.